By MARQUES EVERSOLL
Time will tell if the Green Bay Packers’ defense will be dramatically improved from where they were last season. But we know one thing: It will look different.
Mike Pettine replaces Dom Capers as defensive coordinator.
Damarious Randall is a Cleveland Brown, Morgan Burnett is a Pittsburgh Steeler, while Muhammad Wilkerson, Jaire Alexander, Josh Jackson and Tramon Williams were all added to the Packers’ roster.
So … are they better? (Cue the “it couldn’t get any worse” responses.)
CORNERBACK: Randall is gone, Alexander and Jackson added.
- OUT: CB Damarious Randall. (Traded for QB DeShone Kizer)
- IN: CB Tramon Williams, CB Jaire Alexander & CB Josh Jackson. (2-year deal for #38 & top 2 picks)
- Davon House was brought back on a one-year deal with only $90,000 guaranteed.
- BETTER? I think so. At 35, Williams could hit the “wall” at any time, but on paper, the Packers upgraded at CB.
SAFETY: Morgan Burnett moves on to Pittsburgh.
- OUT: Morgan Burnett. (Signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers)
- IN: Nobody added. (Josh Jones & Kentrell Brice expected to help replace Burnett.
- Starters: Clinton-Dix & Jones. (Brice, Marwin Evans & Jermaine Whitehead still on the roster)
- BETTER? Time will tell, although the personnel isn’t better. It depends how Jones responds to a bigger role.
INSIDE LINEBACKER: Third-round pick spent on Oren Burks.
- OUT: Joe Thomas. (Dallas Cowboys)
- IN: Oren Burks. (#88 overall, the highest pick the Packers have spent on a LB since A.J. Hawk went #5 in 2006)
- Blake Martinez led the NFL in tackles last year. (Burks, Jake Ryan & Josh Jones/Kentrell Brice could play “ILB”)
- BETTER? Yes. At the very least, Burks will contribute more than the 104 snaps Thomas played last year.
OUTSIDE LINEBACKER: Improve from within?
- OUT: Ahmad Brooks. (Free Agent; Retirement?)
- IN: Nobody added. (OLB Kendall Donnerson was the team’s 7th-round pick)
- BETTER? Not on paper. Clearly, the Packers relying on second-year players Vince Biegel & Reggie Gilbert to make a “Year 2 Jump.” McCarthy already spoke highly of Gilbert, who participated at Rookie Orientation last weekend. Kyle Fackrell and Chris Odom could both use a strong summer, but the big question is Biegel. Remember: Biegel was just one slot away from being a third-round pick last year, so the Packers are counting on him in a big way.
DEFENSIVE LINE: Good group got even better.
- OUT: Quinton Dial. (Free Agent)
- IN: Muhammad Wilkerson. (Signed a 1-year, incentive-based deal worth $5 million) — $1.5 million guaranteed
- Also, Montravius Adams (last year’s third-round pick) essentially redshirted as a rookie. He and Dean Lowry (forget about him) give the Packers strength depth behind a really talented front line.
- BETTER? Yes, and the defensive line was already pretty damn good.
